Agenda - 05-05-2009 - Information Item

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11 Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to comply with the provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005. It demonstrates that the financially constrained long-range transportation plans (LRTPs) and the transportation improvement programs (TIPs) eliminate or reduce violations of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) in the following areas: • The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), • The Durham-Chapel Hill-Cazrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO), • The portion of Orange County within the Burlington-Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization (BG MPO). • The portions of the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) which aze in the Triangle Ozone Maintenance Area (part of Orange County and four townships in Chatham County: Baldwin, Center, New Hope and Williams Townships), • The portions of the Kerr-Taz Rural Planning Organization (Kerr-Tar RPO) which aze in the Triangle Ozone Maintenance Area (Person County and parts of Franklin and Granville and Counties), and • The pazt of Johnston County in the Upper Coastal Plain Rural Planning Organization. The plan accomplishes the intent of the North Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP). This conformity determination is based on a regional emissions analysis that uses the transportation networks approved by each of the above-named Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) for the 2035 long-range transportation plans, and the emissions factors developed by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The above-named MPOs and RPOs combine to form a region known as the Reseazch Triangle, or "Triangle." Based on this analysis, the 2035 Long-Range Transportation Plans for the CAMPO and the DCHC MPO and their respective 2009-15 Transportation Improvement Programs conform to the purpose of the North Carolina SIP. The respective FY 2009-2015 TIPs are direct subsets of the applicable 2035 long-range transportation plans. The conformity analysis for the 2009-15 STIP for the relevant portions of the RPOs is specifically addressed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The NCDOT analysis also showed the Transportation Improvement Programs conform to the purpose of the North Cazolina SIP. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) originally declazed Durham County, Wake County and Dutchville Township in Granville County non-attainment for ozone (03) and Durham County and Wake County non-attainment for Carbon Monoxide (CO) on November 15, 1990. Durham County, Wake County and Dutchville Township were redesignated by USEPA to attainment with a maintenance plan for ozone on June 17, 1994 and Durham County and Wake County were redesignated by USEPA to attainment with a maintenance plan for CO on September 18, 1995. In 1997 the NAAQS for ozone was reviewed and revised to reflect improved scientific understanding of the health impacts of this pollutant. When the standazd was revised in 1997, aneight-hour ozone standazd was established. The USEPA designated the entire Triangle area as a "basic" non- attainment area for eight-hour ozone with an effective date of June 15, 2004. The Triangle was then re-designated as attainment with a maintenance plan for ozone on December 26, 2007. Tables related to CO in this report reflect the motor vehicle emission budgets published in the Mazch 24, 2006 Federal Register and effective May 23, 2006. Tables related to NOz in this report reflect the motor vehicle emission budgets published in the December 26, 2007 Federal Register and effective that same date. 3